Settling Scores After Autumn? Chinese Artist Fei Xiaosheng Arrested Before Departure

Chinese artist Fei Xiaosheng was criminally detained by Xi’an police on January 7 before his planned “exit route” from China, and is currently being held at the Xi’an Beilin Detention Center, sparking concerns in the art community about a possible crackdown on dissent in Chinese culture.

Living in Thailand, artist Du Yinghong revealed on an overseas X platform on January 8 that he had just video-called with Fei Xiaosheng a few days ago and learned that Fei had obtained his passport. However, on the day he was supposed to leave, on January 8, he received news that Fei had been arrested again.

According to Du Yinghong, Fei Xiaosheng had previously resided in the Songzhuang Art District in Beijing, where he faced police pressure for supporting Hong Kong, had his passport torn, and was evicted from his residence.

On January 9, in an interview with Radio Free Asia, Du Yinghong said that Fei Xiaosheng is now detained at the Xi’an Beilin Detention Center without prior warning or information about any criminal behavior, stating, “Fei Xiaosheng is a devout Christian who had supported and expressed solidarity with Hong Kong, and as a result, he has been detained for over 40 days.” This latest action could be part of authorities settling scores with the mainland cultural community.

Du Yinghong mentioned that Fei Xiaosheng had actually made plans to leave the country but had returned to China for some matters after staying in Serbia in Europe, only to be arrested a few days before he was supposed to leave the country again, a situation similar to what artist Gao Peng experienced when he was arrested in August last year.

Independent writer He Sanpo, residing in Thailand, expressed, “In today’s China, if you have a conscience and dare speak some truths, you are committing a crime.” He lamented, “We love our country, but we are unable to freely express ourselves on our own soil. This land is becoming a place where the righteous are deemed guilty.”

At 55 years old, Fei Xiaosheng, born in Xi’an, is engaged in painting, music curation, and has been active in the Songzhuang Art District in Beijing. Following in the footsteps of artist Gao Peng, he is another cultural figure detained before leaving the country, drawing attention to possible crackdowns in the Chinese cultural sphere.

Additionally, according to a friend of Gao Peng, Gao’s case will soon be heard in the Sanhe Court next week, with his defense lawyer warned not to disclose case details to the public.